Indian Style Shrimp Fry - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 onion, minced
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon garlic paste
3/4 teaspoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon water
1 tomato, diced
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

Mix paprika, cumin, turmeric, and salt in a small bowl. Spread 3/4 the spice mixture over the shrimp in a bowl; set aside for about 10 minutes.
Crush onion slightly with a mortar and pestle. A few hard jabs is good; onion should be moist but not watery.
Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat; add mustard seeds and cook until crackling subsides, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook and stir onion, garlic paste, and ginger paste into the mustard seeds until onion is browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir water into remaining spice mixture; pour into pan. Cook and stir tomatoes in onion mixture until softened, about 5 minutes. Add green peppers and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium; add shrimp and cook until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir until all liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with black pepper and lemon juice.